Resveratrol and cellular mechanisms of cancer prevention

Abstract

The use of novel and improved chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents for the prevention and treatment of cancer is on the rise. Natural products have always afforded a rich source of such agents. Epidemiological evidence suggests that a higher flavonoid intake is associated with low cancer risk. Accumulating data clearly indicate that the induction of apoptosis is an important component in the chemoprevention of cancer by naturally occurring dietary agents. Resveratrol, a naturally occurring polyphenol, demonstrates pleiotropic health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiaging, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective activities. Because of these properties and their wide distribution throughout the plant kingdom, resveratrol is envisioned as a potential chemopreventive/curative agent. Currently, a number of preclinical findings from our lab and elsewhere suggest resveratrol to be a promising natural weapon in the war against cancer. Remarkable progress in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer properties of resveratrol has been achieved. Here, we focus on some of the myriad pathways that resveratrol targets to exert its chemopreventive role and advocate that resveratrol holds tremendous potential as an efficient anticancer drug of the future.

Resveratrol and health – A comprehensive review of human clinical trials

“…Resveratrol has shown much promise in treating cancer in laboratory animals and in vitro human cell studies [68][69][70], yet there is still a large void in human research. This may soon change, as six of the clinical trials currently listed for resveratrol on www.clinicaltrials.gov (Table 2 in Supporting Information) include cancer patients as a target population.…”

Resveratrol Exerts Differential Effects in Vitro and in Vivo against Ovarian Cancer Cells

“…Cell proliferation and DNA synthesis is decreased through its inhibitory actions on ribonucleotide reductase, DNA polymerase, and ornithine decarboxylase activities as well as by cell cycle arrest at the G2-S checkpoint. Apoptosis is induced in various malignant cells by resveratrol through up-regulation of CD95L expression, caspase activation, stabilization of p53, and inhibition of nuclear factor κB activity (Athar et al, 2009;Delmas et al, 2011;Shukla and Singh, 2011). Several pathways are intertwined and influence additional mechanisms involved in cellular invasion and metastasis, such as the regulation of growth factors and matrix metalloproteins (Weng & Yen, 2012).…”

In vitro antitumor effects of two novel oligostilbenes, cis- and trans-suffruticosol D, isolated from Paeonia suffruticosa seeds

“…One well-known example of the stilbenes is resveratrol, and its antitumor activity has been intensively studied. Several in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that resveratrol inhibits the growth of cancer cells and effects various molecular targets associated with cancer progression such as the Wnt signaling pathway, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and the MAPK/ERK pathway in different types of cancer (17,18).…”

“…One well-known example of the stilbenes is resveratrol, and its antitumor activity has been intensively studied. Several in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that resveratrol inhibits the growth of cancer cells and effects various molecular targets associated with cancer progression such as the Wnt signaling pathway, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and the MAPK/ERK pathway in different types of cancer (17,18).Previously, two novel stilbenes, cis-and trans-suffruticosol D, were extracted from the seeds of Paeonia (5). The two chemicals have similar structures as the mass fragmentation pattern of trans-suffruticosol D was very similar to cis-suffruticosol D, with cis-suffruticosol D varying only from trans-suffruticosol D in its olefinic hydrogen signal (Fig.…”